E.—le

18

7. The Inspector may return the class-lists of the annual examination to the head teacher, and require him to note in the column for remarks the reason for more or less rapid promotion in the ease of any pupil, or to give an explanation in the case of any pupil whose age is much above the average age of the pupils in that class for that school or that education district; and the Inspector may approve or not of the sufficiency of the reason or explanation given. If it appears to the Inspector that the class-lists of the annual examination are complete and duly in order, he shall sign one copy, and shall forward it to the head teacher together with any remarks lie may see fit to make thereon. The copy thus returned to the head teacher shall be the record of the annual examination, and shall be kept in the school in the manner prescribed in clause 5 hereof. 8. In order to satisfy himself of the general efficiency of the instruction given in the school, the Inspector shall at one or more of his visits devote a portion of his time to an investigation of the character of the teaching and of the degree to which the intelligence of the pupils has been developed, and to this end may examine a due proportion of the pupils in any of the classes P to S7 in such subjects as he shall choose. 9. With a view to ascertain the individual progress of the pupils, the Inspector, where he considers it desirable, may hold an oral or written examination of any class in the school on tile work done in the class since the commencement of the current year. Such examination, when held, will be arranged by the Inspector after consultation with the head teacher, or upon direction from the Board, and, in either case, after consideration of any examinations which have been held during the current year by the head teacher or Hie teacher of the class. As the result of such examination, the Inspector may, but only if the circumstances seem to call for such exceptional action, modify the classification of the head teacher by directing that any pupil or pupils shall be placed in any class or classes that he may name. Such modified classification shall thereupon for six months, or such shorter period as the Inspector may prescribe, be substituted for the classification of the head teacher. In such cases the effect of clauses 3 and 4 will be modified accordingly. 10. Every pupil examined in any subject by the Inspector shall be examined in the class in which he has been taught during the preceding three mouths ; but the Inspector or the teacher may exclude from the examination of a class any pupil who lias made less than half the possible number of half-day attendances at the school since the commencement of the current year. Certificates of Transfer. 11. When a child leaves one school for another the head teacher shall furnish him with a " certificate of transfer," showing (1) his name and date of birth as given in the school Register of Admission; (2) the class or classes in which he is placed for English and arithmetic; (3) the number of half-day attendances he has made since the beginning of the current year; (4) the number OI half-day attendances he has made since the date of his last promotion in English and arithmetic respectively; and (5) the other subjects (including military drill) in which he has been receiving instruction. In cases where a child previously attending a school presents himself for enrolment at another school, but is not provided with a certificate of transfer, the teacher of the latter school shall make application for such certificate to the teacher of the school previously attended. Inspection Report. 12. The inspection report shall relate to such topics as the following: I. List of classes and teachers, showing the number of pupils in each class, and the number present; 11. The Inspector's opinion of the degree of discretion displayed in the grouping of the classes, in the classification of the pupils, in the determining of the promotions from class to class, and the organization of the school in other respects — e.g., in regard to the average number of children present at any one time under the instruction of any teacher or pupil-teacher; 111. Marking and keeping of registers; IV. Regularity of attendance; V. Suitability of time-tables; VI. Suitability of schemes of work— method and quality of the instruction in general or in detail; VII. Order and discipline, and the tone of the school with respect to diligence, alacrity, obedience, and honour; VIII. Supervision in recess; IX. Manners and general behaviour of the pupils; X. State of buildings, ground, and fences; XI. Sufficiency of school-accommodation; XII. Cleanliness and tidiness of rooms and premises (including outside offices), condition and sufficiency of school material and apparatus, ventilatiou and warming; XIII. List of class-books used in the school; XIV. Special circumstances affecting the work of the school; XV. Instruction given to pupil-teachers; XVI. Other topics. 13. The report shall be divided into sections, and the section relating to any topic in the foregoing list shall bear the number assigned to that topic in the list. Section I shall show what classes within the meaning of clause 2 of these regulations there are in the school, whether the classes are grouped for instruction, and, if so, how they are grouped, and by what teacher each class is taught, describing each teacher by the position held in the school as "sole teacher," "head teacher," ''mistress," "first assistant," "third-year pupil-teacher," or as the case may be. Any section except Sections I and XIII may, if the Inspector so choose, be omitted or consist of the appropriate number and of a single word, such as " Satisfactory." 14. In expressing his opinion of the value of the work done in any subject, the Inspector shall consider whether the subject is taken by all the pupils in all the classes for which it is prescribed, and also whether it is efficiently treated. Standard of Exemption. 15. The "standard of exemption" under section 4 of "The School Attendance Act, 1901," shall be the Fifth (Sixth?) Standard, and the certificate referred to in subsection (c) of section 4 of the said Act shall be a certificate of competency in the work of Standard V (V 11) or a higher standard.